Minn-LInK Edition 12: Parental Disability and Termination of Parental Rights in Child Protection

Minn-LInK Report Brief—Special Topic No. 12 revised, Spring 2015
Authors: Traci LaLiberte, E. Lightfoot, S. Mishra, & Kristine Piescher

The purposes of this study were to understand the prevalence of parental disability among Termination of Parental Rights (TPR) cases in Minnesota and to determine whether parents with disabilities were overrepresented in child protection TPR cases. Additionally, this study sought to understand characteristics of parents with disabilities who experienced TPR. Specifically, this study answered the following research questions:

  1. What are the characteristics of parents with disabilities who experienced TPR?
  2. Are parents with disabilities over-represented in TPR cases? If so, does the overrepresentation begin prior to TPR (i.e., in OHP)?